Solderless connecter for electric cables



Dec. 10, 1935. R U E 2,023,823

SOLDERLESS CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC GABLES Filed Jan. 17, 1931 227 aye/ Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES SOLDERLESS coNNEc'rnn FOR ELECTRIC CABLES Durl P. Ruger, Chicago, Ill., assignor to G & W Electric Specialty 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 17, 1931, Serial No. 509,289

16 Claims. (Cl. 173-269) This invention relates to electric cable connec;

'tion and particularly to a solderless connection for electric cables of the stranded type.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a mechanical bond without solder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frictional contact that will secure the parts in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for obtaining maximum surface contact of the strands of the cable.

-In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the connecter;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation in part section; and

Fig. 3 is a trans-axial view taken at the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

The cable I is. of the usual sheathed type as indicated at I I and this sheathing is removed for a distance at the end thereof for making electrical contact with some sort of a terminal fitting which is usually secured by soldering or some such expedient.

\ In the present case the terminal fitting A consists of a hollow portion I2 for receiving the cable II]. The bore I3 is of sufiicient diameter to accommodate a packing gland follower It and packing material I5. The gland I4 is acted upon by a gland nut I6 and reacts through a sub-gland I4 on the packing I5. The purpose of the second gland member M is to lessen the tendency of the rotating action of the screw threaded gland nut l from distorting thepacking material I5. 9

At the bottom of the bore I3 is a counter-bore (3 of approximately the diameter of the cable end It] and is joined to the bore I3 by the sloping shoulder I3 The purpose of this sloping shoulder I3 is to cooperate with a. friction device 20 for assisting in supporting the cable in position. This friction device 20 is formed with a sharp inturned edge 2|, whch when forced in position by the gland I6 (acting through the packing I5) will impinge against the peripheral strands of the cable l9. Although this impinging action is primarily for assisting in supporting the cable, it will also add somewhat to the conductivity of-the device. However, the action of the packing material I5 is mainly relied upon to transmit the current from the cable to the fitting A.

It will be noted as illustrated in Fig. 3, that because of the stranded construction, the periphery of the cable is 'of irregular contour and it is desirable to contact as much of the surfaceas possible. Therefore the packing I5 here contemplated is of the nature of metallic wool, that is, finely stranded fiber of metal. This permits of great flexibility and ductility and when compressed between the abutment or friction device 20 and the sub-gland M it tends to flow into all the crevices formed by the tangent peripheral strands. Pressure is applied by the nut Hi to a suflicient degree calculated to produce proper contact between the bore II! and the cable strands. V v

The metal employed for the packing I5 is of I such material as will match that of the cable I0 5 and fitting A, so as to avoid the undesirable consequences of any electrical reaction that might be set up by complementary metalism. For instance, zinc fibers would be avoided where a'cop-,

per cable is used. In the instance of an alumin- 10 um cable the packing would preferably also be aluminum.

Many modifications of the specific form of the device here shown may be employed without de parting from the scope of conception.-

1. In a device of. the character described including a cable and a terminal fitting therefor, means in the terminal fitting for accommodating the cable end and metallic fiber packing for contact therewith, and means for compressing said fiber packing to force it into the crevices between the cable strands.

2. A device of the classspecified comprising a terminal fitting adapted to receive a cable end, a

device having a sharp edge surrounding the cable end and having its sharp edge making contact with the strands thereof, a compressible element in the fitting adjacent said sharp edged device,

and means for compressing said element against said device so as to press the sharp edge ofsaid device against the cable strands and also compress said element against the cable strands and fitting.

3. A'device ofthe class specified comprising a terminal fitting having a chamber to receivethe strands of the cable end, an annular gripping member surrounding the cable and arranged within said chamber, metallic packing also in the chamber and surrounding the cable strands ad- 40 jacent said annular member, washers in the chamber adjacent said packing, and a threaded nut mounted removably on the fitting and adapted to compress the washers against the packing and the packing against said annular member.

4. In a device of the character described including a. cable and a terminal fitting therefor, inherently compressible metallic packing in the fitting surrounding the cable end, an impinging device including a sharp edge also surrounding the cable end and contacting therewith, and means for compacting said packing and impinging device.

5. In a device of the character described ,in-f cluding a cable-and a terminal fitting therefor, an impinging device having a sharp edge, a packing of current transmitting character adjacent said impinging device, means on; the fitting for directingthe sharp edge of the impinging device .against the cable, and means for compacting the packing in the fitting an'd actuating the sharp chamber provided with a sharp edge to make contact with the cable strands, metallic packing also in the chamber and surrounding and in contact with the cable strands and adjacent said annular member, anda threaded nut adjustably mounted on the fitting and adapted to close the open end of said chamber and compress the packing and annular member therein.

'7. A fitting of the class specified having a grip-' ping device adapted to be forced inwardly against a cable conductor to grip and hold the same, and a contact device for making contact with the cable conductor and electrical connection between said conductor and the fitting, said contact device being adjustable to permit it to be forced against the cable conductor and said gripping and contact devices being associated together so that when one is actuated to tighten it against the cable conductor the other device will also be tightened.

8. A fitting of the class specified comprising a gripping device adapted to be forced inwardly against a cable conductor to grip and hold same,

. and made adjustable to permit it to be tightened on the cable to grip the latter more firmly and a contact device for making contact with the cable conductor and establishing connection between said conductor and the fitting, said contact device being adjustable to permit compression of the device against the cable conductor to make better electrical connection, said gripping and contact devices being associated together so that when the contact device is compressed against the cable to make better electrical connection, the g pping device will also be compressed against the cable conductor to grip the same more firmly.

9. A fitting of the class specified comprising a gripping device adapted to be forced inwardly against a cable conductor to grip and hold same and made adjustable to permit it to be tightened on the cable to grip the latter more firmly and a contact device for making contact with the cable conductor and establishing connection between said conductor and fitting, said contact device being adjustable to permit compression of the device against the cable conductor to make better electrical connection, and said devices being in the same chamber in the fitting and arranged end to end lengthwise of the cable conductor, and means for acting 'upon one of said devices to contract it and cause it to contract the other device.

10. A fitting of the class specified'comprising a gripping device for gripping a cable to hold it in position, said gripping device involving an adjustable penetrating edge for contacting and engaging the cable conductor, and a compressible connectnecting device involving a metallic packing member adapted to make connection between the cable conductor and the fitting, and means for actuating said devices, said last mentioned means comprising an adjustable element arranged to act upon the contact device and compress it against the cable conductor and also to act upon the gripping device and force its penetrating edge against the cable conductor.

13. A fitting of the class specified comprising a gripping and holding device having a penetrating edge adapted to contact with. and penetrate the cable conductor, a compressible metallic packing device arranged adjacent said gripping device and adapted to actuate the latter when said contact device is contracted, and means for actuating said contact device ,to contract it and cause it 25 lar member, and means for acting upon said con-' tractible member to compress it upon the cable conductor and also to cause it to act upon the first mentioned armular member and force its penetrating edge against said conductor.

15. A fitting of the class specified comprising a chamber to receive a cable conductor having the end through which the conductor enters open, a contractible annular member near the inner end of said chamber, said member having an edge to impinge upon the cable conductor to hold the same in position, mineral wool packing in said chamber between the annular member and the open end of said chamber and a threaded nut on the fitting to compress said mineral wool packing and force the same against the cable conductor and inner wall of said chamber and also again-it said first mentioned annular memberto force the impinging edge of the same against the cable conductor.

16. A fitting of the class specified comprising a chamber to-receive a cable conductor having the end through which the conductor enters open, a contractible annular member near the inner end of said chamber, said member having an edge to impinge upon the cable conductor to hold the same in position, mineral wool packing in said chamber between the annular member and the open end of said chamber and a threaded nut on the fitting to compress said mineral wool packing and form. the same against the cable conductor and inner wall of said chamber and also against said first mentioned annular member to force theimpinging edge of'the same against the cable conductor, the inner end of said chamber having sloping shoulders to direct the impinging edge of said annular member inwardly against the cable conductor and there being washers in the outer end of said chamber against which said threaded nut acts.

DURL P. R.UGER. 

